Forgotten Futurism - The 1990s marked an exciting period in automotive history, a time when designers and engineers envisioned futuristic vehicles that pushed the boundaries of technology and aesthetics. Among the boldest examples of this era was the Art & Tech Vera, a concept car that reflected the innovative spirit of its creator, Ryoji Yamazaki. This remarkable vehicle, which never reached production, remains an eye-catching artifact of automotive design, currently displayed at the Musée Automobile de Vendée in France.
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| The Art & Tech Vera concept car was envisioned as a sleek and futuristic four-seater coupe, blending innovative design with bold aesthetics. (Picture from: AllAndorra) |
Ryoji Yamazaki, a visionary in the automotive world, founded the
Art & Tech studio in
1989 in Tokyo. While the studio was based in Japan, much of its early design work took
place in Turin, Italy, where it aimed to fuse Japanese innovation with
European craftsmanship. At the same time,
Yamazaki also made headlines with
the Lamborghini-based Sogna, a striking supercar prototype unveiled
the 1991 Geneva Motor Show.
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| The Art & Tech Vera boasted a sleek, spaceship-like design with a fully enclosed glass canopy, integrated headlights, and a sculpted aerodynamic body. (Picture from: AllAndorra) |
The Sogna,
priced at an astonishing $1.6 million, was an ambitious attempt at ultra-luxury limited production, though only one fully functional model was ever built. The
Vera concept, also presented in
1991, took a different approach. While
the Sogna aimed for high-performance exclusivity, the
Vera was envisioned as
a futuristic four-seater coupe. Its sleek, almost spaceship-like design featured a fully enclosed glass canopy, integrated headlights, and a streamlined body with sculpted aerodynamic lines.
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| The Art & Tech Vera was engineered to house a Porsche 928-sourced V8 engine, establishing it as a high-performance GT concept. (Picture from: Story-Cars) |
The car was designed to feature
a Porsche 928-sourced V8 engine, positioning it as
a high-performance GT concept. Despite its radical styling and advanced design, the
Vera disappeared from the automotive scene soon after its unveiling. Unlike
the Sogna, which retained a cult following, the
Vera remained
an obscure yet fascinating 1:1 static mock-up of 1990s car design.
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| The Art & Tech Vera concept car stands as a testament to an era when the automotive world embraced bold dreams and pushed the boundaries of design. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru) |
Today, its place in a museum serves as a reminder of an era when the automotive world boldly dreamed big and defied conventions. While the
Art & Tech Vera never made it to production, its legacy endures, captivating enthusiasts who admire the artistry and ambition of concept cars from the past, as the company ultimately ended its supercar venture in
1993.
*** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | STORY-CARS | CARSTYLING.RU | ALLANDORRA | CARTEFACTS ]Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.
